AutomotiveAccelerate your automotive designs with our technical solutions and insights.http://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/behind_the_wheel/atomZimbra Community 8.0.17.49604 (Build: 8.0.17.49604)2019-05-08T22:49:00ZHow connected vehicles leverage data: 3 common questionshttp://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/behind_the_wheel/archive/2019/08/30/how-connected-vehicles-leverage-data2019-08-30T18:19:34Z2019-08-30T18:19:34Z<p>Connected driving, even though it exists today, still has a long way to go. In the future, vehicles will communicate with the driver, other cars, the road and surrounding infrastructure, pedestrians, and the cloud, all while giving passengers a constant connection.</p>
<p>Thanks to these increasing levels of connectivity, vehicles will be able to receive, interpret and transmit data &ndash; both within the vehicle as well as with the world around it &ndash; to inform driving decisions, increase passenger convenience and enable increasing levels of autonomy.</p>
<p>Let&rsquo;s tackle three common questions about the future of connected vehicles.</p>
<p><strong>Q: What is V2X, and how does it relate to the connected car?</strong><br />A: Vehicle-to-everything (V2X) is a multipoint network that allows information to pass between a vehicle and the world around it, including pedestrians, the surrounding infrastructure (such as light posts, traffic signals and parking lots), other vehicles and the cloud/network. Figure 1 shows this ecosystem.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.ti.com/content/dam/ticom/images/applications/automotive/v2x-connected-car.png"><img src="https://www.ti.com/content/dam/ticom/images/applications/automotive/v2x-connected-car.png" width="600" alt=" " style="display:block;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><strong>Figure 1: V2X includes vehicle-to-cloud (V2C), vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I), vehicle-to-pedestrian (V2P) and vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) connectivity</strong></p>
<p>Central to the V2X network is the <a href="http://www.ti.com/solution/telematics_control_unit" target="_blank">telematics control unit (TCU)</a>, the brain of the telematics system, which serves as the central hub for nearly anything and everything that talks wirelessly to the car from the outside world.</p>
<p><strong>Q: What&rsquo;s the difference between DSRC and C-V2X?</strong><br />A: Dedicated short range communication (DSRC) and cellular V2X (C-V2X) are two types of radio technologies that are competing to become the standard for V2X connectivity. Table 1 outlines some of the trade-offs of each technology.</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"></p>
<p></p>
<table style="margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;width:650px;height:78px;" cellpadding="5" frame="border" rules="all">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-size:inherit;"><strong>DSRC&nbsp;</strong></span></td>
<td><strong>C-V2X</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Communication technology using the Wi-Fi IEEE Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers 802.11p standard</td>
<td>Cellular LTE standard driven by the 5G Automotive Association</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<p><strong>Advantages:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Permits low latency (2-ms) communication for basic V2I and V2V safety messages.</li>
<li>Widely used, tested and reliable (~20 years).</li>
<li>Complements LIDAR and radar in advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) well.</li>
<li>Interoperability with V2I and V2V systems.</li>
</ul>
</td>
<td>
<p><strong>Advantages:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Lower latency and two times the range of DSRC (can exceed 1 mile), even without a network connection.</li>
<li>Able to use all features in the existing LTE network.</li>
<li>Able to connect to anything (V2I, V2V, V2P and more).</li>
<li>Better suited to systems around the globe.</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<p><strong>Disadvantages:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>DSRC is an older technology that doesn&rsquo;t have latency as low as C-V2X.</li>
<li>Some opponents say there is no room for evolution.</li>
</ul>
</td>
<td>
<p><strong>Disadvantages:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Doesn&rsquo;t yet have government regulatory backing.</li>
<li>Could have interoperability issues.</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align:center;"><strong>Table 1: Trade-offs between DSRC and C-V2X for automotive applications<br /></strong>(Data sources: <a href="https://5gaa.org/5g-technology/c-v2x/" target="_blank">5G Automotive Association</a> and <a href="https://www.electronicdesign.com/automotive/dsrc-vs-c-v2x-looking-impress-regulators">Electronic Design</a>)</p>
<p><strong>Q: What are some of the key domains that manage data within the vehicle?</strong><br />A: Once the vehicle receives data from the outside world, there are several domains called gateways that are responsible for safely and securely transferring data within a vehicle. There is the potential for several gateways within the vehicle: a centralized gateway and multiple domain gateways. These gateways may include:</p>
<ul>
<li>An <a href="http://www.ti.com/solution/gateway_module" target="_blank">automotive gateway</a> &ndash; a central gateway module that manages and routes data to various network domains within the vehicle.</li>
<li>A <a href="http://www.ti.com/solution/smart_telematics_gateway" target="_blank">smart telematics gateway</a> &ndash; this gateway represents the next evolution of highly integrated TCUs&mdash;the infotainment gateway module within the digital cockpit that manages communications between the central gateway and the outside world, including emergency calling (eCall), vehicle tracking, electronic tolls, diagnostics and over-the-air updates.</li>
<li>An <a href="http://www.ti.com/solution/sensor_fusion" target="_blank">ADAS domain controller</a> &ndash; an ADAS gateway module that manages communications between the central gateway and powertrain systems to enable different levels of autonomous driving.</li>
</ul>
<p>The race is on to design a connected vehicle that delivers a driving experience like none we have experienced before. I look forward to the day when this additional connectivity adds a predictive quality to the reactiveness of autonomous driving &ndash; making the road safer for drivers and pedestrians.</p>
<p><strong>&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p><strong>Additional resources</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Learn more about <a href="http://www.ti.com/connectedcar" target="_blank">designing connected vehicles</a>.</li>
<li>Explore TI&rsquo;s <a href="http://www.ti.com/applications/automotive/infotainment-cluster/overview.html" target="_blank">design resources for infotainment systems</a>.</li>
<li>Read the white paper, &ldquo;<a href="http://www.ti.com/lit/wp/szzy012/szzy012.pdf" target="_blank">Designing infotainment systems that are interactive, not distractive</a>.&rdquo;</li>
</ul><div style="clear:both;"></div><img src="http://e2e.ti.com/aggbug?PostID=670786&AppID=894&AppType=Weblog&ContentType=0" width="1" height="1">Hope Bovenzihttp://e2e.ti.com/members/3520242Creating vehicle-to-pedestrian communication using transparent window displayshttp://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/behind_the_wheel/archive/2019/08/01/how-to-create-vehicle-to-pedestrian-communication-using-transparent-window-displays2019-08-01T16:06:00Z2019-08-01T16:06:00Z<p>In the future, your vehicle&rsquo;s windows may display all kinds of information. New automotive technologies promise to turn standard automotive windows into single-color or even full-color dynamic displays. The two primary applications behind this trend are vehicle-to-pedestrian communication and advertising, illustrated respectively in Figures 1 and 2.</p>
<p align="center"><b>&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ti.com/content/dam/tinews/images/blogs/category/dlp-products/wwe/lead-in-graphic/dlp-auto-side-window-display.jpg"><img src="http://www.ti.com/content/dam/tinews/images/blogs/category/dlp-products/wwe/lead-in-graphic/dlp-auto-side-window-display.jpg" width="600" alt=" " /></a></b></p>
<p align="center"><b>Figure 1: Ride-hailing transparent display example</b></p>
<p align="center"><b>&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ti.com/content/dam/tinews/images/blogs/category/dlp-products/wwe/photography/projects/dlp-taxi-rear-window-display.jpg"><img src="http://www.ti.com/content/dam/tinews/images/blogs/category/dlp-products/wwe/photography/projects/dlp-taxi-rear-window-display.jpg" width="600" alt=" " /></a></b></p>
<p align="center"><b>Figure 2: Advertising transparent display example</b></p>
<p>Let&rsquo;s first spend a little time on the basics. A transparent window display needs to support two display states: a fully transparent one and a dynamic colorful one. When not displaying information, the window must be transparent, and ideally look identical to the other windows in the car. When communicating information or playing a video, the window needs to display bright, colorful graphics that pedestrians can easily see.</p>
<p>A projector-based transparent window display consists of a small projector mounted to the interior roof surface or other location, and a transparent film typically sandwiched or laminated in the vehicle&rsquo;s side or rear windows, or even the front windshield. There are several types of films:</p>
<ul>
<li><b>405-nm emissive phosphor:</b> This type of film contains a phosphor layer excited by a 405-nm light source. The energy from the 405-nm light source excites the phosphor, which then re-emits the energy at a different wavelength such as blue or green. The light is emitted in all directions, so the image is visible from any viewing angle. It is possible to create multicolor displays by using multiple films, each emitting a different color and excited by different wavelengths in the low 400-nm range. A 405-nm-compatible projector is required to illuminate this type of film.</li>
<li><b>Smart glass:</b> A smart glass film has two states: transparent and &ldquo;frosted.&rdquo; State transitions occur when applying or removing a voltage from the glass, similar to the types of films used in e-tinting applications. The image is projected onto the inside of the glass when in the frosted state, similar to how a rear-projection TV works. The frosting provides good contrast, improving the image quality. A red-green-blue (RGB) LED projector can illuminate this film.</li>
<li><b>Microlens array diffuser:</b> This is an engineered diffuser film that can provide some amount of screen gain, increasing the brightness of an image. Screen gain is a result of diffusing or concentrating the light directionally. For example, instead of transmitting the light in all directions, the film is engineered to define a viewing angle where the image is visible. Outside the viewing angle, there is no visible image, as all of the light is concentrated inside the defined viewing angle. An RGB LED projector can illuminate this film.</li>
<li><b>Holographic film:</b> These films promise some very unique features, such as the ability to create an image viewable from inside the car but not from the outside. An RGB projector can illuminate this film. Achieving maximum efficiency and brightness requires careful selection of the LED wavelengths in order to match the holographic film, and the use of a true green LED (versus a converted green LED) at the appropriate wavelength.</li>
</ul>
<p>All of these films have their strengths and weakness. Depending on the application, one type of film may be better suited than the others. One of the advantages of TI DLP&reg; technology is that it is light source-agnostic and can illuminate all of the various film types. Figure 3 illustrates how a projector is placed in a car to create transparent window displays.</p>
<p align="center"><b>&nbsp;<img src="http://www.ti.com/content/dam/tinews/images/blogs/category/dlp-products/wwe/illustration/dlp-side-window-diagram-near.png" width="400" alt=" " style="float:center;" /><img src="http://www.ti.com/content/dam/tinews/images/blogs/category/dlp-products/wwe/illustration/dlp-side-window-diagram-far.png" width="400" alt=" " style="float:center;" /></b></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><b>&nbsp;</b><b>Figure 3: DLP projector placement options</b></p>
<p>It turns out that brightness is one of the key challenges in transparent display designs. Displaying an image at night is fairly straightforward, but displaying that same image during the day can be a significant challenge. The display has to be bright enough to be visible in full daylight. In addition, the display size is directly proportional to the amount of light needed; for example, if you double the display size area and want to keep brightness levels the same, you will need to double the projector&rsquo;s optical output power. Other design considerations include projector size and placement, film qualification and lamination, and regional automotive window regulations.</p>
<p>Okay, back to the applications. A great example application of a transparent window display is a ride-hailing service like Uber, Lyft, DiDi or Grab. With a transparent window display, passengers can easily identify their taxi through a display on the side window with their name and destination, or perhaps a verification code corresponding to a code on the ride-hailing app.</p>
<p align="center" style="text-align:left;">Autonomous ride-hailing is an even better application fit than traditional ride-hailing. An autonomous car obviously has no driver; therefore, the car needs a way to communicate to other cars and pedestrians. Figure 4 shows various applications for autonomous vehicle communication. For example, how does an autonomous car communicate that it &ldquo;sees&rdquo; a pedestrian and that it is OK to cross in front of the car? Which car goes first at a four-way stop? There are many situations in which the vehicle needs to signal intent to pedestrians or other vehicles. A transparent display is a good fit, since it&rsquo;s placed high up on a vehicle and is easily visible to those around it.<b><br /></b></p>
<p></p>
<p align="center"><b>&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ti.com/content/dam/tinews/images/blogs/category/dlp-products/wwe/table/dlp-side-window-communicationt-table.jpg"><img src="http://www.ti.com/content/dam/tinews/images/blogs/category/dlp-products/wwe/table/dlp-side-window-communicationt-table.jpg" width="800" alt=" " /></a></b></p>
<div align="center" style="text-align:center;"><b>Figure 4: Autonomous vehicle communication requirements</b></div>
<p>Advertising is the other primary target application. The ability to generate incremental monthly revenue for ride-hailing services via geotargeted advertising campaigns is attracting a lot of interest because it could increase the profitability of the service (as much as US <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2018/08/15/grabb-it-wants-to-turn-your-cars-window-into-a-trippy-video-billboard/">$300 per month of incremental revenue</a>) and/or driver wages.</p>
<p>An example of a geotargeted advertising campaign would be running an ad for Starbucks every time the vehicle is within 100 m of a Starbucks location. Other potential applications include in-car entertainment, as shown in Figure 5 driver greetings, car diagnostics and car entry touch screens.</p>
<p align="center"><b>&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ti.com/content/dam/tinews/images/blogs/category/dlp-products/wwe/photography/projects/dlp-side-window-entertainment.jpg"><img src="http://www.ti.com/content/dam/tinews/images/blogs/category/dlp-products/wwe/photography/projects/dlp-side-window-entertainment.jpg" width="600" alt=" " /></a>&nbsp;</b></p>
<div align="center" style="text-align:center;"><b>Figure 5: In-car entertainment transparent display example</b></div>
<div align="center" style="text-align:center;"><b>&nbsp;</b></div>
<div></div>
<div>For more information about how DLP Auto products can support your transparent display design, see the 405-nm <a href="http://www.ti.com/product/DLP3034-Q1" title="DLP3034-Q1 " target="_blank">DLP3034-Q1</a> chipset and RGB DLP3030-Q1 and DLP5530-Q1 chipsets.</div>
<div><strong>&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div><strong>Additional resources</strong></div>
<ul>
<li>Download the DLP3030-Q1&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ti.com/tool/TIDA-080004">RGB projector electronics reference design</a>.</li>
<li>Get the <a href="http://www.ti.com/tool/TIDA-020013">Automotive SPD-SmartGlass&trade; driver reference design</a>.</li>
<li>Learn more about the <a href="http://www.ti.com/solution/transparent-window-display" title="transparent window display application">transparent window display application</a>.</li>
</ul><div style="clear:both;"></div><img src="http://e2e.ti.com/aggbug?PostID=670758&AppID=894&AppType=Weblog&ContentType=0" width="1" height="1">Michael Firthhttp://e2e.ti.com/members/682590Using TI mmWave technology for car interior sensinghttp://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/behind_the_wheel/archive/2019/07/25/ti-mmwave-technology-for-car-interior-sensing2019-07-25T15:59:00Z2019-07-25T15:59:00Z<p>In my previous <a href="http://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/behind_the_wheel/archive/2018/04/30/detecting-vehicle-occupancy-with-mmwave-sensors">article</a>, I introduced the use of TI&rsquo;s 77-GHz millimeter wave (mmWave) sensors for interior sensing applications like child presence detection, passenger detection and intruder detection.</p>
<p>The need for child presence detection has found its place on the <a href="https://cdn.euroncap.com/media/30700/euroncap-roadmap-2025-v4.pdf">EURO NCAP</a> roadmap, driving car manufacturers to offer this feature. Adding child presence detection functionality improves a car&rsquo;s overall safety rating, by helping solve the problem of identifying children left in cars and alerting drivers. Car manufacturers can use TI mmWave technology to design child presence detection systems and additional capabilities such as detecting occupant vital signs to monitor driver health, deploy airbags in the event of a vehicle crash, alert passengers to use seat belts and more &ndash; all while maintaining occupant privacy by not relying on cameras for presence detection.</p>
<p>Our portfolio of mmWave devices can help address these applications at a low-cost price point while offering high performance. For applications that require higher resolution, such as detecting the posture of a passenger or driver, imaging radar using mmWave sensors provides high-resolution occupant detection.</p>
<p>These test scenarios demonstrate how car interior sensing works using an mmWave sensor.</p>
<p><b>Using TI mmWave sensors for heart-rate monitoring</b></p>
<p>In the first setup, shown in Figure 1, the tester mounted the AWR1642 single-chip sensor on the dashboard of a car. The sensor simultaneously estimates the heart and breathing rates of both the driver and passenger while the car is moving. The sensor&rsquo;s range enables the extension of this capability to all passengers in the car.</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"></p>
<p align="center"><a href="/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-08-94/vital_2D00_sign_2D00_mmwave_2D00_avds.jpg"><img src="/resized-image/__size/600x0/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-08-94/vital_2D00_sign_2D00_mmwave_2D00_avds.jpg" alt=" " /></a></p>
<p align="center"><b>Figure 1: Detecting driver and passenger vital signs using the TI AWR1642 sensor in a moving car </b><i>(Image Source: AV Design Systems)</i></p>
<p>In the second example, illustrated in Figure 2, we again used the AWR1642 sensor to demonstrate occupancy detection and vital-sign monitoring of each of the occupants. The sensor is mounted above the rearview mirror and has two transmitters and four receivers. The AWR1843 device, which has three transmitters, four receivers and more memory, enables additional features beyond occupant detection, like basic classification of occupants as an adult or child.</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"></p>
<p align="center"><b><a href="/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-08-94/occupant_2D00_location_2D00_vehicle_2D00_sensing.jpg"><img src="/resized-image/__size/600x0/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-08-94/occupant_2D00_location_2D00_vehicle_2D00_sensing.jpg" alt=" " /></a><br /></b></p>
<p align="center"><b>Figure 2: Occupant detection and vital-sign monitoring of four occupants inside a car using the AWR1642 single chip sensor mounted above the rearview mirror </b><i>(Image Source: AV Design Systems)</i></p>
<p><b>Distinguishing occupants using radar</b></p>
<p style="text-align:left;">The AWR1843 single-chip sensor is mounted on the roof of the car to accurately detect an occupant and determine whether it is an adult or a child. The classifier software outputs the most probable occupant per seat with high accuracy. Figures 3 and 4 illustrates this classification.&nbsp;</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"></p>
<p align="center"><b>&nbsp;<a href="/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-08-94/8284.occupant_2D00_sensing_2D00_adult.jpg"><img src="/resized-image/__size/600x0/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-08-94/8284.occupant_2D00_sensing_2D00_adult.jpg" alt=" " /></a></b></p>
<p align="center"><b>Figure 3: Detecting and distinguishing between an adult and child occupant using the AWR1843 sensor mounted on the ceiling </b><i>(Image Source: Azcom Technology)</i></p>
<p align="center"><b><a href="/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-08-94/mmwave_2D00_occupant_2D00_sensing_2D00_output.jpg"><img src="/resized-image/__size/600x0/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-08-94/mmwave_2D00_occupant_2D00_sensing_2D00_output.jpg" alt=" " width="400" /></a>&nbsp;<br /></b></p>
<p align="center"><b>Figure 4: The output of the AWR1843 single chip sensor classifier as an adult or a child based on a probability percentage which is more than 98% accurate from initial tests&nbsp;</b><i>(Image Source:&nbsp;<i>AV Design Systems</i></i></p>
<p align="center" style="text-align:left;"><b style="text-align:left;">In-cabin sensing using imaging radar</b></p>
<p>To demonstrate in-cabin sensing with imaging radar, we estimated a person&rsquo;s posture using an evaluation module from one of our partners. The imaging radar module comprises four cascaded mmWave sensors and a TDAx processor, which conducts all processing. An external computer displays the results. Our demonstration is shown in Figure 5.</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"></p>
<p align="center"><b><a href="/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-08-94/Imaging_2D00_radar_2D00_interior_2D00_sensing.jpg"><img src="/resized-image/__size/600x0/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-08-94/Imaging_2D00_radar_2D00_interior_2D00_sensing.jpg" alt=" " /></a></b></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"></p>
<p align="center"><b>Figure 5: An imaging radar test setup, with a person standing in front of the imaging radar module (a); and a point-cloud representation of this person, with various colors used to indicate height (b) </b><i>(Image Source: Smart Radar Systems)</i><b></b></p>
<p>Figures 6 and 7 demonstrate passenger occupancy detection in an SUV-like setup with seven seats. The imaging radar evaluation module is facing downwards, similar to a ceiling position. The radar sensor detects all six passengers in the vehicle accurately. The imaging radar also clearly identifies the empty seat between the other two seats in the back row.</p>
<p align="center"><b><a href="/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-08-94/occupant_2D00_detection_2D00_test_2D00_setup.jpg"><img src="/resized-image/__size/400x0/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-08-94/occupant_2D00_detection_2D00_test_2D00_setup.jpg" alt=" " /></a>&nbsp;<br /><br /></b><b>Figure 6: Lab demonstration showing the detection of all passengers in a car-like setup using TI imaging radar.&nbsp;</b><i>(</i><i>Image Source: Smart Radar Systems)</i></p>
<p align="center"><i><a href="/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-08-94/occupant_2D00_detection_2D00_output.jpg"><img src="/resized-image/__size/600x0/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-08-94/occupant_2D00_detection_2D00_output.jpg" alt=" " /><br /></a></i><b>Figure 7: Lab demonstration output where the red boxes indicate an occupied seat, while a black box indicates an empty seat. </b><i>(Image Source: Smart Radar Systems)</i></p>
<p align="center"></p>
<p><b>The benefits of interior sensing solutions with TI mmWave sensors</b></p>
<p>TI mmWave sensors provide a reliable and robust option for interior cabin sensing.</p>
<p>When the sensor is installed inside a car, the temperature of the sensor can quickly rise on a hot day. According to automotive standards, the sensor must to be able to operate even at these high junction temperatures. TI mmWave sensors work across a wide temperature range.</p>
<p>In addition, sensor reliability is extremely important for occupant detection. TI mmWave sensors are Automotive Electronics Council-Q100 qualified and TI mmWave sensors help automotive designers achieve Automotive Safety Integrity Level (ASIL)-B requirements for interior sensing systems.</p>
<p>A final, important aspect of a TI mmWave sensor design process is our software, which makes the design scalable and easier at the same time. The mmWave-SDK contains the same drivers and API&rsquo;s for all of our single chip sensors and imaging radar. We also provide several reference designs and examples to start your design.</p>
<p><b>Additional resources</b></p>
<ul>
<li>Download the &ldquo;<a href="http://www.ti.com/tool/tidep-01001">Vehicle occupancy detection reference design</a>.&rdquo;</li>
<li>Buy the <a href="http://www.ti.com/tool/awr1642boost">AWR1642 single-chip 76- to 81-GHz automotive radar sensor evaluation module</a>.</li>
<li>Download the <a href="http://dev.ti.com/tirex/explore/node?node=ABRk8DO4mlEa.5Y1k4vF5w__AocYeEd__LATEST">vehicle occupancy detection reference software</a>.</li>
</ul>
<p align="center"><i>&nbsp;</i></p><div style="clear:both;"></div><img src="http://e2e.ti.com/aggbug?PostID=670755&AppID=894&AppType=Weblog&ContentType=0" width="1" height="1">Kishorehttp://e2e.ti.com/members/1248285How PEPS technology is opening the doors to the evolution of car access systemshttp://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/behind_the_wheel/archive/2019/07/23/how-peps-technology-is-opening-the-doors-to-the-evolution-of-car-access-systems2019-07-23T18:57:53Z2019-07-23T18:57:53Z<p>Car access has become more convenient as design engineers take advantage of technologies that are widely used in other applications. The automotive industry has evolved from providing mechanical keys to unlock vehicles to fobs with buttons that can unlock vehicles. Now, the most common form of car access revolves around <a href="http://www.ti.com/solution/car_access_system" target="_blank">passive entry passive start (PEPS) systems</a>, enabling drivers to enter their car but also start the engine without physically using a key.</p>
<p><strong><span style="font-size:inherit;">How do PEPS systems work?</span></strong></p>
<p>PEPS systems use radio-frequency (RF) communications between the car and key fob to both understand driver intentions and authenticate drivers. Low-frequency (typically 125 kHz or 134 kHz) and ultra-high-frequency (UHF) (typically Sub-1 GHz) signals communicate unique key access codes between the key fob and the vehicle. The car will only allow access functions if the exchanged codes match the expected values and the distance between the key fob and the vehicle is within a certain threshold. This measurement between the key fob and the vehicle detects both position and distance, and determines if the key is inside or outside the car. If the key is in close proximity but is still outside the car, the passive entry function should enable, but the passive start function will not be allowed.</p>
<p>PEPS systems can be either triggered systems or polling systems. In a triggered system, drivers initiate the process of car access by touching something on the car such as door handle, while in a polling system, the car access system continuously scans the vicinity of the car searching for the presence of a key.</p>
<p>Figures 1 and 2 illustrate the entry sequence in triggered and polled systems, respectively.</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.ti.com/content/dam/tinews/images/blogs/category/automotive/wwe/block-diagram/PEPS-triggered-system-diagram.jpg"><img src="http://www.ti.com/content/dam/tinews/images/blogs/category/automotive/wwe/block-diagram/PEPS-triggered-system-diagram.jpg" width="800" alt=" " /></a></p>
<p align="center"><b>Figure 1: Triggered PEPS entry sequence for unlocking the door</b></p>
<p align="center"><b><a href="http://www.ti.com/content/dam/tinews/images/blogs/category/automotive/wwe/block-diagram/PEPS-polling-system-diagram.jpg"><img src="http://www.ti.com/content/dam/tinews/images/blogs/category/automotive/wwe/block-diagram/PEPS-polling-system-diagram.jpg" width="800" alt=" " /></a><br /></b></p>
<p align="center"><b>Figure 2: Polling PEPS entry sequence for unlocking the door</b></p>
<p><strong>Using Bluetooth&reg; Low Energy for phone-as-a-key</strong></p>
<p>Designers today are taking these advancements even further by making PEPS systems possible using a <a href="http://www.ti.com/solution/phone-as-a-key-paak" target="_blank">phone as a key</a> (Figure 3).</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.ti.com/content/dam/tinews/images/blogs/category/automotive/wwe/lead-in-graphic/evolution-of-car-access-infographic.jpg"><img src="http://www.ti.com/content/dam/tinews/images/blogs/category/automotive/wwe/lead-in-graphic/evolution-of-car-access-infographic.jpg" width="1000" alt=" " /></a></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><strong><b>Figure 3: Enabling PEPS in phone-as-a-key systems</b></strong></p>
<p>The movement to introduce phone-as-a-key includes efforts to replace UHF with Bluetooth Low Energy technology. There are a number of reasons for doing so: the Bluetooth Low Energy standard is much more widely used than UHF. Communication is more standardized and more secure, and Bluetooth systems consume less power compared to UHF. Bluetooth Low Energy is already available in smartphones, and developing Bluetooth Low Energy-based car access systems will enable the use of smartphones for PEPS systems. A phone-as-a-key system goes further than drivers being able to keep their car keys in their pockets or purses &ndash; now they can even leave their keys at home. I can&rsquo;t wait for the day when I can carry one less item with me.</p>
<p><span style="font-size:inherit;"><strong>Additional resources</strong></span></p>
<ul>
<li>Read more about the <a href="/blogs_/b/behind_the_wheel/archive/2019/07/15/bluetooth-low-energy-shifts-gears-for-car-access" target="_blank">benefits of Bluetooth Low Energy for car access systems</a>.</li>
<li>Explore the <a href="http://www.ti.com/tool/TIDA-01632" target="_blank">automotive Bluetooth Low Energy car access satellite node reference design</a>.</li>
</ul>
<p style="padding:0;margin:0;"></p><div style="clear:both;"></div><img src="http://e2e.ti.com/aggbug?PostID=670742&AppID=894&AppType=Weblog&ContentType=0" width="1" height="1">Arun T. Vemurihttp://e2e.ti.com/members/1166976The need for speed – The future of radar processinghttp://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/behind_the_wheel/archive/2019/07/17/the-need-for-speed-the-future-of-radar-processing2019-07-17T21:52:39Z2019-07-17T21:52:39Z<p><b><span style="text-decoration:underline;">RA</span></b>dio <b><span style="text-decoration:underline;">D</span></b>etection <b><span style="text-decoration:underline;">A</span></b>nd <b><span style="text-decoration:underline;">R</span></b>anging (RADAR) systems have been used in many applications for several decades, including everything from weather prediction to law enforcement, with automotive showing up around the turn of the 21<sup>st</sup> century. This article examines a typical automotive use case and corresponding trends.</p>
<p>There are millions of 24 GHz-based radar systems on the road today and more coming based on the next generation, 76-81 GHz systems (e.g. <a href="http://www.ti.com/sensors/mmwave/awr/overview.html">TI&rsquo;s RFCMOS AWRx product line</a>). From a high-level view, radar system configurations are divided into the end equipment categories shown in Figure 1 and are further segmented by the effective range (distance) they address, which translates into ~1 meter to 400 meters for Proximity to Long Range systems respectively.</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"></p>
<p align="center"><b><a href="/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-08-94/Radar-Configuration_2D00_1.png"><img src="/resized-image/__size/600x0/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-08-94/Radar-Configuration_2D00_1.png" alt=" " /></a></b></p>
<p align="center"><b>Figure 1 &ndash; CMOS*-based radar configuration overview</b></p>
<p align="center"><i>&nbsp;&nbsp; (*<b>C</b>omplementary <b>M</b>etal <b>O</b>xide <b>S</b>emiconductor)</i></p>
<p>As the effective range and required accuracy increases, the need for additional processing is generally required as indicated via the appearance of a processor, along with additional radar (MMIC) devices, in the above CMOS-based Radar Configuration Overview (Figure 1). The associated memory with the additional processor also significantly increases the system&rsquo;s memory performance further elevating capabilities.</p>
<p>A typical system is a forward-facing, medium-to-long range radar system used to provide detection and ranging in the forward path of a moving vehicle. This Adaptive Cruise Control system automatically adjusts the speed of the vehicle based on spacing between the car with the system and the vehicle(s) in front of it. The accuracy of this type of system is critical to the safe operation of a vehicle under its control. Using multiple MMICs and a processor can significantly increase the angular resolution and range. The processor performs calculations on streaming data from multiple MMICs which increases angular and range resolution along with overall detection distance as well.</p>
<p>A system using multiple MMIC devices and a processor to provide further downstream calculations constitutes a Cascade / Imaging Radar (CIR) system. These programmable systems can provide the functionality of multiple types of radar systems (e.g. short, medium &amp; long range) via software algorithms running on the processor, configurations of the associated MMICs, and the antenna design. In addition to this flexibility, these CIR systems greatly increase operational safety using beam-forming techniques to extend the range and resolutions in a long-range scenario as well as MIMO (Multiple-Input &amp; Multiple-Output) techniques to refine the degree of angular resolution as the region of interest becomes closer in range (see Figure 2). These techniques enhance system efficacy by increasing the detection distance, range resolution and angular resolution/accuracy relative to the objects in front of the vehicle.</p>
<p></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"></p>
<p align="center"><b><a href="/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-08-94/Range-Distance.png"><img src="/resized-image/__size/600x0/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-08-94/Range-Distance.png" alt=" " /></a><br /></b></p>
<p align="center"><b>Figure 2: Automotive perception terminology</b></p>
<p>Figure 3 shows the various steps to facilitate object detection from the raw data being sent by the MMICs. In the case of a 4-chip CIR system like TI&rsquo;s recently released &lsquo;<a href="http://www.ti.com/tool/TIDEP-01017">Cascade / Imaging Radar Capture &amp; Fusion Platform using Jacinto&trade; ADAS Processor</a>&rsquo;, there is a significant amount of processing required for each data stream produced by the MMIC (TI mmWave AWR sensors) devices. A single SoC from TI&rsquo;s automotive ADAS processors product line can easily meet these processing requirements. One &lsquo;<a href="http://www.ti.com/product/TDA2SX">TDA2SXBTQABCQ1</a>&rsquo; can efficiently provide all of this processing with margin by utilizing its heterogeneous architecture containing several types of CPUs: 4x SIMD (EVE), 2x DSP (C66), and 6x Arm&reg; Cortex&reg; (2x A15, 4x M4) cores.</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"></p>
<p align="center"><b><a href="/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-08-94/Radar_2D00_Data_2D00_Processing_5F00_Diagram.png"><img src="/resized-image/__size/800x0/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-08-94/Radar_2D00_Data_2D00_Processing_5F00_Diagram.png" alt=" " /></a></b></p>
<p align="center"><b>Figure 3: Radar data processing flow</b></p>
<p>Figure 3 also shows how the radar processing flow is mapped across these cores. The color coding in the numbered circles corresponds to the core(s) performing each of the specific operations (blue = C66, green = EVE). The Arm cores execute general application management and overall control code for the system. Figure 4 below shows a different, higher-level view of how the processing is partitioned on the TDA2SX device being used in TI&rsquo;s <a href="http://www.ti.com/tool/TIDEP-01017">4-chip CIR reference design</a>.</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"></p>
<p align="center"><b><a href="/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-08-94/Radar-Data-Processing-Flow.png"><img src="/resized-image/__size/600x0/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-08-94/Radar-Data-Processing-Flow.png" alt=" " /></a></b></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"></p>
<p align="center"><b>Figure 4: Radar data processing flow partition</b></p>
<p>Processing requirements increase as the complexity and capability of the radar systems increase. Figure 5 shows how the typical radar cube memory increases along with the required operations (millions). This complexity and processing will increase over time and drive the need for more processing capabilities as the below trends continue in the automotive space. Together, TI&rsquo;s radar MMICs (<a href="http://www.ti.com/sensors/mmwave/awr/overview.html">AWRx</a>) and ADAS processors (<a href="http://www.ti.com/tda">TDAx</a>) can address these needs with unique architectures, technologies and software development kits (<a href="http://www.ti.com/tool/processor-sdk-tdax">SDKs</a>). Selecting, developing and productizing a system utilizing scalable product families, such as TI&rsquo;s TDA ADAS processing family, help to address these ongoing trends in a manner that reduces overall development time and increases system efficiency.</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"></p>
<p align="center"><b><a href="/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-08-94/Radar-Configuration.png"><img src="/resized-image/__size/600x0/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-08-94/Radar-Configuration.png" alt=" " /></a></b></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><b>Figure 5: Radar configuration with memory and processing trends</b></p>
<p>The possible integration of short, medium, and long-range systems into a single CIR system can reduce the overall number of systems in the vehicle along with the associated power consumption, supporting power supply design and costs. Performance gains via the processor can also potentially reduce cost/need of companion systems, e.g. minimizing camera resolution/frame rate requirements and ultrasonic sensor(s) reduction/removal.</p>
<p>In addition to the radar-specific trend, there is an overall trend of using multiple sensors on vehicles to enhance functional safety through the fusion of different modalities; helping offset the many environmental variations these systems must handle appropriately (Figure 6). The below table provides insight into which sensors best address the various conditions relevant to typical vehicle perception. No single sensor addresses all of these requirements, justifying the fusion of various sensor data to promote greater perception accuracy.</p>
<p align="center"><b><a href="/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-08-94/Table.jpg"><img src="/resized-image/__size/800x0/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-08-94/Table.jpg" width="641" height="232" alt=" " /></a></b></p>
<p align="center"><b>Figure 6: Sensor pros (+) and cons (-) table</b></p>
<p>The trends referenced above will require the need for increased processing speed/efficiency and readily addressed by TI&rsquo;s TDAx ADAS processors product line.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Additional resources:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Make your imaging radar design a reality by downloading our reference designs using <a href="http://www.ti.com/tool/TIDEP-01017">Jacinto processors</a> and <a href="http://www.ti.com/tool/TIDEP-01012">TI mmWave sensors</a>.</li>
<li>Learn more about <a href="http://www.ti.com/tda">Jacinto&trade; ADAS automotive processors</a>.</li>
<li>Read about <a href="http://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/behind_the_wheel/archive/2018/05/09/tips-for-designing-a-robust-computer-vision-system-for-self-driving-cars">tips for designing a robust computer vision system for self-driving cars</a> in this technical article.</li>
<li>Download our white papers to learn more about ADAS technology:
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.ti.com/lit/wp/sszy009a/sszy009a.pdf">Making cars safer through technology innovation</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.ti.com/lit/wp/spry300/spry300.pdf">Stereo vision&mdash;Facing the challenges and seeing the opportunities for ADAS applications</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.ti.com/lit/wp/spry308/spry308.pdf">Stepping</a><a href="http://www.ti.com/lit/wp/spry308/spry308.pdf"> into next-generation architectures for multi-camera operations in automobiles</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul><div style="clear:both;"></div><img src="http://e2e.ti.com/aggbug?PostID=670754&AppID=894&AppType=Weblog&ContentType=0" width="1" height="1">Joe Folkenshttp://e2e.ti.com/members/1494033Bluetooth® Low Energy shifts gears for car accesshttp://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/behind_the_wheel/archive/2019/07/15/bluetooth-low-energy-shifts-gears-for-car-access2019-07-15T14:30:00Z2019-07-15T14:30:00Z<p>The automotive industry is experiencing a tremendous transformation driven by consumers&rsquo; desire to leverage their <a href="http://www.ti.com/solution/phone-as-a-key-paak" target="_blank">phone as a key</a>. By using phone-as-a-key, you can now eliminate the need for a traditional key fob in your passive entry passive start (PEPS) system. <em>Bluetooth&reg;</em> Low Energy is a leading technology for this application because it is a versatile technology that is widely adopted in smartphones.</p>
<p align="center"><a href="http://www.ti.com/content/dam/tinews/images/blogs/category/automotive/wwe/illustration/ble-peps-smart-key-diagram.jpg"><img width="600" alt=" " src="http://www.ti.com/content/dam/tinews/images/blogs/category/automotive/wwe/illustration/ble-peps-smart-key-diagram.jpg" /></a></p>
<p align="center"><strong>Figure 1: PEPS architecture in a car. The number of satellite modules will vary, depending on system-level requirements.&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p>Let&rsquo;s take a look at the Figure 1 above, illustrating the typical architecture of a car system that utilizes phone-as-a-key. It includes a central smart key module that communicates with the phone-key and several satellite nodes that passively monitor the Bluetooth Low Energy connection between the central module and the smartphone. TI&rsquo;s <a href="http://www.ti.com/tool/TIDA-01632">automotive Bluetooth Low Energy car access satellite node reference design</a> shows an implementation of such a node.&nbsp;</p>
<p>While there are multiple wireless technologies aiming to enable the phone-as-a-key solution, Bluetooth Low Energy is the most suitable technology due to several features:</p>
<ul>
<li><b>Low power &ndash; </b>The power budget of modern connected cars is becoming increasingly tighter, especially when the ignition is turned off, as more and more electronic content is being added to the cars. As the result, low-power operation may be one of the key requirements for your car access system design. Since the car access system involves multiple nodes, the effect of the power consumption of a node is multifold for the overall system. Bluetooth Low Energy is particularly suitable for this type of always-on application due to its low power nature.<br /><br /></li>
<li><b>Accuracy &ndash; </b>Since the car access system must be reliable and accurate in various RF environments like crowded cities and underground garages, you must ensure that it is robust enough against multipath propagation. Multiple Bluetooth Low Energy anchors in a car access system can solve this problem by fusing data like Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI), <a href="http://dev.ti.com/tirex/content/simplelink_cc2640r2_sdk_3_10_00_15/docs/blestack/ble_user_guide/html/ble-stack-3.x-guide/localization-index.html#angle-of-arrival" target="_blank">Angle of Arrival (AoA)</a> and phase-based ranging acquired from various anchors. Multiple passive anchors (or nodes) also increase the degree of confidence in the measurements. Thus, Bluetooth Low Energy provides much-needed accuracy in reflective environments while increasing the robustness of your car access application.<br /><br /></li>
<li><b>Wide adoption</b> &ndash; Another challenge when designing a phone-as-a-key solution is to ensure the inter-operability of the car access system with the wide variety of smartphones out there. According to the <a href="https://www.bluetooth.com/bluetooth-resources/2019-bluetooth-market-update/" target="_blank">2019 Bluetooth market update report</a>, 100% of the new smartphones shipments included Bluetooth technology. With its industry wide adoption, Bluetooth Low Energy has become the de facto standard for real-time location services (RTLS) using smartphones. The recent launch of direction-finding capabilities in the latest Bluetooth standard further enhances Bluetooth Low Energy as a key technology for localization applications like phone-as-a-key and PEPS.</li>
</ul>
<p>With Bluetooth Low Energy, the possible enhancements to the user experience of your car access system are limitless. The user can simply walk up to the vehicle to unlock it with the digital phone-key and let the vehicle automatically adapt to the user&rsquo;s preferred settings like the position of mirrors, seat, steering wheel and head up display using their customized digital profiles. Bluetooth Low Energy based car access systems can also enable your vehicle to utilize various secure ranging and localization techniques to locate the authorized phone inside the car, adding one more security measure before unlocking the doors and turning on the engine. Moreover, the user can create digital keys for friends and family as well as temporary digital keys for valet, making car sharing lot more convenient.</p>
<p>TI&rsquo;s <a href="http://www.ti.com/product/CC2640R2F-Q1">CC2640R2F-Q1</a> wireless MCU can enable you to utilize Bluetooth Low Energy in your car access system and eliminate the need of a traditional key-fob.<b></b></p>
<p><b>Additional resources</b></p>
<ul>
<li>Watch the video, &ldquo;<a href="https://training.ti.com/localization-ble"><span style="color:#0000ff;">Localization with Bluetooth</span></a>&rdquo;</li>
<li>Evaluate the AoA capabilities of&nbsp;CC2640R2Fwith the <a href="http://www.ti.com/tool/BOOSTXL-AOA" target="_blank">SimpleLink Angle of Arrival BoosterPack</a>.</li>
<li>Download the&nbsp;<a href="https://training.ti.com/bluetooth-low-energy-car-access-systems-tech-day" target="_blank">Bluetooth Low Energy Car Access Systems &ndash; Tech Day</a>&nbsp;from Detroit Tech Day.</li>
<li>Read the short technical article, <a href="/blogs_/b/behind_the_wheel/archive/2019/06/11/adding-can-nodes-in-bluetooth-low-energy-peps-systems" target="_blank">Adding CAN nodes in Bluetooth Low Energy PEPS systems</a>.</li>
</ul>
<p style="padding:0;margin:0;"></p><div style="clear:both;"></div><img src="http://e2e.ti.com/aggbug?PostID=670751&AppID=894&AppType=Weblog&ContentType=0" width="1" height="1">Vihang Parmarhttp://e2e.ti.com/members/4295107Imaging radar: one sensor to rule them allhttp://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/behind_the_wheel/archive/2019/07/09/imaging-radar-using-ti-mmwave-sensors2019-07-09T20:12:00Z2019-07-09T20:12:00Z<p>There is still some confusion in the industry about the different roles that three major sensor types &ndash; camera, radar and LIDAR &ndash; have in a vehicle, and how each can solve the sensing needs of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous driving.</p>
<p>Recently, I had an interesting discussion with one of my friends, who knows I work with TI millimeter-wave (mmWave) sensors for radar in ADAS systems and autonomous vehicles (AVs).</p>
<p>My friend doesn&rsquo;t skip an opportunity to tease me any time he reads about how an autonomous vehicle performed in different driving situations, like obstacle detection. Here&rsquo;s how one conversation went:</p>
<p>Matt: &ldquo;If that car had LIDAR, it would have easily identified the object in the middle of the lane.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Me: &ldquo;As always, I disagree.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Matt: &ldquo;What?! Why would you disagree? There was a camera sensor and a radar sensor in that vehicle, and still the ADAS system totally missed the vehicle in the middle of the lane.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Me: &ldquo;When you read about these recent events, you&rsquo;ll notice that the cameras are often exposed to glare or other elements that cause the camera to miss an object in the road. Cameras are sensitive to high-contrast light and poor visibility conditions, such as rain, fog and snow. In this case, the radar sensor probably did identify the target.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Matt: &ldquo;Still, we keep running into different situations that<ins cite="mailto:Tamara%20Weintraub" datetime="2019-06-05T09:33"> </ins>these ADAS and AV systems seem to find very challenging. What is missing?&rdquo;</p>
<p>Me: &ldquo;It seems the ADAS&rsquo; decision-making system relied on the camera as the primary sensor to decide if the target was really there, or whether it was a false alarm.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Matt: &ldquo;So the car&rsquo;s radar and camera can&rsquo;t be trusted. So you are left with LIDAR as the only reliable sensor. Isn&rsquo;t that right?&rdquo;</p>
<p>Me: &ldquo;Not quite. LIDAR is not as sensitive to visibility conditions as the camera is, but it is sensitive to weather conditions like fog, rain and snow. In addition, LIDAR is still considered to be very expensive, which probably limits its usage initially to higher-end <a href="https://www.nhtsa.gov/technology-innovation/automated-vehicles-safety">level 4 and 5</a> autonomous vehicles.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Matt: &ldquo;So we are doomed! There is no single sensor that can make autonomous vehicles truly reliable. We will always need all three, which means very expensive autonomous vehicles.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Me: &ldquo;You are partly right. Level 4 and 5 autonomous vehicles will probably need all the three sensors &ndash; camera, LIDAR and radar &ndash; to provide high reliability and a fully autonomous driving experience.</p>
<p>However, for more economic vehicles requiring partial autonomy at levels 2 and 3, where high-volume mass production has already started, imaging radar using TI mmWave sensors delivers the high performance and cost-effectiveness that can enable broad adoption of ADAS functionality.&rdquo;</p>
<p><b>So what is imaging radar? </b></p>
<p>As I explained to Matt, imaging radar is a subset of radar that got its name due to the clear images that its high angular resolution is capable of providing.</p>
<p>Imaging radar is enabled by a sensor configuration in which multiple low-power TI mmWave sensors are cascaded together and operate synchronously as one unit, with many receive and transmit channels to significantly enhance the angular resolution as well as the radar range performance. mmWave sensors, when cascaded together, can reach an extended range of up to 400 m using integrated phase shifters to create beamforming. Figure 1 shows the cascaded mmWave sensors with their antennas on an evaluation module.</p>
<p align="center"><b>&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ti.com/content/dam/ticom/images/products/ic/processors/evm-boards/cascade-imaging-radar-capture-fusion-platform-front.png"><img src="http://www.ti.com/content/dam/ticom/images/products/ic/processors/evm-boards/cascade-imaging-radar-capture-fusion-platform-front.png" width="600" alt=" " /><br /></a></b><b>Figure 1: An imaging radar evaluation module with four cascaded TI mmWave sensors</b></p>
<p align="center" style="text-align:left;"><b>mmWave technology for imaging radar</b></p>
<p>The main reason why the typical radar sensor hadn&rsquo;t been considered the primary sensor in vehicles until recently is its limited angular resolution performance.</p>
<p>Angular resolution is the ability to distinguish between objects within the same range and the same relative velocity.</p>
<p>A common use case that highlights the imaging radar sensor&rsquo;s advantage is being able to identify static objects in high resolution. The typical mmWave sensor has a high velocity and range resolution, which enables it to easily identify and differentiate between moving objects, but it is quite limited when it comes to static objects.</p>
<p>For example, in order for a sensor to &ldquo;see&rdquo; a stopped vehicle in the middle of the lane and distinguish it from light poles or a fence, the sensor requires a certain angle resolution in both the elevation and azimuth. .</p>
<p>Figure 2 shows a vehicle stuck in a tunnel with smoke coming out of it. The vehicle is approximately 100 m away and the tunnel height is 3 m.</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><img src="http://www.ti.com/content/dam/tinews/images/blogs/category/embedded-processing/wwe/illustration/Imaging-radar-cascade.jpg" width="600" alt=" " /></p>
<p><b>Figure 2</b><b>: The front radar of the approaching car needs a high-enough angle resolution to differentiate between the tunnel and the stopped vehicle</b><b><i>. </i>mmWave sensors can see through any visibility conditions, like smoke.</b></p>
<p align="center" style="text-align:left;">In order to identify the vehicle in the tunnel shown in Figure 2, the sensor needs to differentiate it from the tunnel ceiling and walls.</p>
<p>Achieving the scene classification requires these elevation and azimuth angle resolutions:</p>
<p style="text-align:center;">ɸ (elevation) = arctan (2 m/100 m) = 1.14 degrees</p>
<p style="text-align:center;">ɸ (azimuth) = arctan (3.5 m/100 m) = 2 degrees</p>
<p>Where 2 m is the tunnel height minus the vehicle height, 100 m is the distance between the approaching vehicle with imaging radar and the vehicle stopped in the tunnel and 3.5 m is the distance between the stopped vehicle and the tunnel walls. Figure 3 illustrates how mmWave sensors enable high angular resolution in order to &ldquo;see&rdquo; the vehicle.</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><img src="http://www.ti.com/content/dam/tinews/images/blogs/category/embedded-processing/wwe/illustration/imaging-radar-using-mimo-illustration.png" width="600" alt=" " /></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><strong>Figure 3: How mmWave sensors achieve high elevation angular resolution with multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) radar.</strong></p>
<p>Relying on other optical sensors may be challenging in certain weather and visibility conditions.<b> </b>Smoke, fog, bad weather, and light and dark contrasts are challenging visibility conditions that can inhibit optical passive and active sensors such as cameras and LIDAR, which may potentially fail to identify a target. TI mmWave sensors, however, maintain robust performance despite challenging weather and visibility conditions.</p>
<p>Currently, the only sensor that keeps robustness in every weather and visibility condition, and that can achieve 1-degree angular resolution in both azimuth and elevation (and even lower with super-resolution algorithms) is the imaging radar sensor.&nbsp;</p>
<p><b>Conclusion<br /></b>Imaging radar using TI mmWave sensors provides great flexibility to sense and classify objects in the near field at a very high resolution, while simultaneously tracking targets in the far field up to 400 m away. This high-resolution and cost-effective imaging radar system can enable level 2 and 3 ADAS applications as well as high-end level 4 and 5 autonomous vehicles, and act as the primary sensor in the vehicle.</p>
<p><b>Additional resources</b></p>
<ul>
<li>Learn more about <a href="http://www.ti.com/solution/imaging-radar">TI imaging radar</a>.</li>
<li>Watch the video, &ldquo;<a href="https://training.ti.com/mmwave-automotive-imaging-radar-system-long-range-detection">mmWave Automotive Imaging Radar System &ndash; Long Range Detection</a>.&rdquo;</li>
<li>Read the blog post, &ldquo;<a href="/blogs_/b/behind_the_wheel/archive/2019/02/15/expectations-vs-reality-in-autonomous-driving">Are we there yet? Expectations vs. reality in autonomous driving</a>.&rdquo;</li>
<li>Start your design with the &ldquo;<a href="http://www.ti.com/tool/TIDEP-01012">Automotive imaging radar reference design using the 77-GHz mmWave sensor</a>.&rdquo;</li>
</ul>
<p style="padding:0;margin:0;"></p><div style="clear:both;"></div><img src="http://e2e.ti.com/aggbug?PostID=670625&AppID=894&AppType=Weblog&ContentType=0" width="1" height="1">Amit Benjaminhttp://e2e.ti.com/members/741196Two changes to Behind the Wheelhttp://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/behind_the_wheel/archive/2019/06/26/two-changes-to-behind-the-wheel2019-06-26T15:11:00Z2019-06-26T15:11:00Z<p>Thank you for reading Behind the Wheel. This week, we are refreshing the look and structure of technical blogs on E2E to simplify how you find and select content relevant to your interests.&nbsp;</p>
<ul>
<li>Moving forward, posts will be listed under the category of &ldquo;technical articles&rdquo; rather than &ldquo;blogs.&rdquo;</li>
<li>In addition, the name, Behind the Wheel will be replaced with the topic category of &ldquo;automotive&rdquo; with the following avatar/picture.<br /><a href="http://www.ti.com/content/dam/ticom/images/applications/automotive/AdobeStock_79227252.jpg"><img src="http://www.ti.com/content/dam/ticom/images/applications/automotive/AdobeStock_79227252.jpg" width="200" style="height:auto;" alt=" " /></a></li>
</ul>
<p><b>What is staying the same?</b> You will continue to find quality content that shares automotive engineering expertise, industry insight and product knowledge. And existing content is still searchable on the TI E2E site and TI.com.</p>
<p>Stay tuned for our next article, coming soon!</p><div style="clear:both;"></div><img src="http://e2e.ti.com/aggbug?PostID=670727&AppID=894&AppType=Weblog&ContentType=0" width="1" height="1">Jacy Cochranhttp://e2e.ti.com/members/5296334How to manage coefficient of thermal expansion in automotive designshttp://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/behind_the_wheel/archive/2019/06/18/how-to-manage-the-coefficient-of-thermal-expansion-in-automotive-designs2019-06-18T06:00:00Z2019-06-18T06:00:00Z<p>Coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) is a way of describing how an object, material or liquid changes size with temperature. It&rsquo;s measured by calculating the percentage change in length of a material per degree change of temperature.</p>
<p>When heated, the molecules of a substance begin to vibrate and move away from each other, causing expansion; removing heat creates the opposite process. While all materials expand with temperature, they do so at different rates. This difference is fundamental in understanding mechanical designs when it comes to short- and long-term reliability.</p>
<p>The principles of CTE apply in various industries; they are perhaps most common in construction. Figure 1 illustrates gaps in construction material that allow for expansion and reduce the pressure that various materials exert on each other.</p>
<p align="center"><a href="http://www.ti.com/content/dam/tinews/images/blogs/category/power-management/wwe/photography/projects/swatooth-bridge-expansion-joint-85235282.jpg" title="Saw tooth bridge expansion joint" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.ti.com/content/dam/tinews/images/blogs/category/power-management/wwe/photography/projects/swatooth-bridge-expansion-joint-85235282.jpg" width="450" style="height:auto;vertical-align:middle;" alt="Saw tooth bridge expansion joint" title="swatooth-bridge-expansion-joint-85235282.jpg" /></a></p>
<p align="center"><b>Figure 1: Expansion joint on a bridge in order to prevent cracking</b></p>
<p><b>CTE in automotive designs</b></p>
<p>Cars are especially susceptible to CTE, since they have to endure rapid changes in temperature in a short amount of time while withstanding high levels of vibration. Automotive designers need to consider various scenarios, from cold starting the system in temperatures as low as -40&deg;C to rapid increases of temperature exceeding 100&deg;C, or from starting at temperatures above 100&deg;C and then cooling rapidly. These quick temperature changes cause the expansion and contraction of liquids and materials in the automobile, which applies stress on other materials and connections.</p>
<p>The greater the difference in CTE, the worse the problem, especially for materials that connect directly together. Electronic components are becoming an integral part of vehicle operation, from the electronic ignition to the sensors in the exhaust to the automatic safety systems. The reliability of these systems &ndash; both in the short and long term &ndash; is critical for a safe and proper operation.</p>
<p><b>It&rsquo;s all in the package</b></p>
<p>When it comes to electronics, one of the most common CTE issues occurs around the solder joints &ndash;connections of electronic components to the printed circuit board (PCB). These joints experience pressure from both heat expansion and vibration. One way to overcome or at least minimize these issues is to choose the right electronic packaging.</p>
<p>While modern electronics have pushed for the integration of more components into smaller spaces to make designs more compact (and in doing so, increased the demand for leadless packaging), the removal of the legs (or leads) on the package increases its overall CTE. On a leaded package such as a thin-shrink small outline package, the legs form into a shape that act like a spring and are separated from the molding of the package. This means the package CTE more closely matches a typical PCB CTE, as illustrated in Figure 2. Less stress is applied to the solder connections due to small difference in the expansion and contraction.</p>
<p align="center"><a href="http://www.ti.com/content/dam/tinews/images/blogs/category/power-management/wwe/illustration/typical-leaded-package-cte-vs-typical-pcb-cte.JPG"><img src="http://www.ti.com/content/dam/tinews/images/blogs/category/power-management/wwe/illustration/typical-leaded-package-cte-vs-typical-pcb-cte.JPG" width="450" style="height:auto;" alt="Typical leaded package CTE vs typical PCB cte" title="Typical-leaded-package-CTE-vs-typical-PCB-CTE.jpg" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><b>Figure 2: Typical leaded package CTE vs. typical PCB CTE</b>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>Although the footprint of a component is bigger because of the legs, often this means a larger die attached pad (DAP) is possible. A larger DAP helps manage thermals that cause expansion, also improving the thermal footprint size and amount of copper that is need to dissipate the heat generated by a power supply, for example..</p>
<p>When considering DC/DC converters, if you optimize the architecture of the integrated circuit to support higher-frequency operation and a better phase margin, you can reduce the number of external components to compensate for the area taken by the legs. In most cases, the package is much smaller than the inductor or capacitor when combined as a total solution size. Thus, it is possible to offer the highest levels of size reduction without compromising reliability and quality simply by designing the integrated circuit to reduce the overall bill of materials and number of external passives. An example of this is TI&rsquo;s <a href="http://www.ti.com/product/LM63625-Q1" target="_blank">LM63625-Q1</a>, developed specifically to minimize solution size without compromising the issues of CTE and vibration in the harsh environments of automotive systems.</p>
<p>With the right combination of circuit design and packaging, it is possible to manage various design challenges to create automobiles that people desire and that will remain reliable for many years.</p><div style="clear:both;"></div><img src="http://e2e.ti.com/aggbug?PostID=670706&AppID=894&AppType=Weblog&ContentType=0" width="1" height="1">Martin Mosshttp://e2e.ti.com/members/1962993Adding CAN nodes in Bluetooth® Low Energy PEPS systemshttp://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/behind_the_wheel/archive/2019/06/11/adding-can-nodes-in-bluetooth-low-energy-peps-systems2019-06-11T16:52:00Z2019-06-11T16:52:00Z<p>In a&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ti.com/solution/car_access_system" target="_blank">passive-entry-passive-start (PEPS)&nbsp;automotive system</a> using <em>Bluetooth</em>&reg; Low Energy technology, drivers enter their car and start the electric motor (or engine, in the case of an internal combustion engine) using a key fob that communicates with the car&rsquo;s access systems, instead of a key.</p>
<p>Figure 1 shows a typical architecture of Bluetooth Low Energy PEPS in a car. In this architecture, there is one central smart key module and nine satellite modules. The nine satellite modules shown here are only an example; a real implementation could have more or fewer satellite modules. Figure 1 also shows that these modules communicate using a communication bus.</p>
<p align="center"><b><a href="http://www.ti.com/content/dam/tinews/images/blogs/category/automotive/wwe/illustration/ble-peps-smart-key-diagram.jpg"><img src="http://www.ti.com/content/dam/tinews/images/blogs/category/automotive/wwe/illustration/ble-peps-smart-key-diagram.jpg" width="600" alt=" " /></a><br /></b></p>
<p align="center"><b>Figure 1: Bluetooth Low Energy PEPS architecture in a car</b></p>
<p><b>Inside the satellite node</b></p>
<p>So what is inside the satellite node? Figure 2 shows a typical block diagram of a Bluetooth Low Energy satellite module. The module has a Bluetooth Low Energy system-on-chip (SoC) such as TI&rsquo;s SimpleLink&trade; <a href="http://www.ti.com/product/CC2640R2F-Q1" target="_blank">CC2640R2F-Q1</a>, a power supply, and a communication interface (typically a transceiver). Figure 2 also shows the rest of the modules involved in PEPS systems, including the smart key module and even the body control module.</p>
<p align="center"><b><a href="http://www.ti.com/solution/car_access_system#referencedesigns"><img src="http://www.ti.com/content/dam/tinews/images/blogs/category/automotive/wwe/block-diagram/peps-block-diagram.png" width="600" alt=" " /><br /></a></b><b>Figure 2: Automotive PEPS system block diagram</b></p>
<p><b>Communication bus options</b></p>
<p>The two obvious communication bus architectures for car PEPS systems are <a href="http://www.ti.com/interface/can-lin/overview.html" target="_blank">Local Interconnect Network (LIN) and Controller Area Network (CAN)</a>; for the latter, either classical CAN or CAN Flexible Data Rate (CAN FD). Both LIN and CAN are standard communication protocols used widely in automotive applications. The maximum baud rate in a LIN communication system is 19.2 Kbps. Classical CAN is 1 Mbps and CAN FD can be up to 5 Mbps.</p>
<p>Both LIN and CAN use message frames as the basis for building the communication protocol; both can carry a maximum of 8 data bytes. A LIN message frame with 8 data bytes is 124 bits long, while the message frame in a standard CAN frame or CAN 2.0 frame (including the interframe space and assuming worst-case bit stuffing) can be 135 bits. Thus, a LIN message frame takes 6.46 ms to transmit, while a standard CAN message frame takes only 135 &micro;s to transmit.</p>
<p><b>Choosing between LIN and CAN</b></p>
<p>As these calculations show, a LIN message frame takes longer than a CAN frame. So you might think the faster the better and choose the CAN bus. However, a CAN bus is a two-wire communication bus, whereas a LIN bus is a single-wire communication bus. This implies that a system based on a CAN bus is more expensive than a system that uses a LIN bus, which means that the CAN bus may not be the best choice.</p>
<p>How do you choose between the two protocols? One way is to analyze the total number of bytes that need transmitting. If the Bluetooth Low Energy chip implements computational algorithms in the satellite node, then the number of bytes that need transmitting will be lower, and thus, LIN communication would suffice. If, on the other hand, the Bluetooth Low Energy chip does not perform any computations but simply transmits all of the measured raw data, then many more bytes need transmitting, which necessitates CAN architecture.</p>
<p>One other consideration is power consumption. LIN bus-based nodes will typically consume less power than CAN bus in all modes of operation. The specific power consumption numbers are available in the respective transceiver data sheets.</p>
<p><b>Example implementations</b></p>
<p>TI&rsquo;s <a href="http://www.ti.com/tool/tida-01632" target="_blank">automotive Bluetooth Low Energy car access satellite node reference design</a> shows an implementation of a LIN-based satellite board. This reference design uses TI&rsquo;s CC2640R2F-Q1 as the Bluetooth Low Energy SoC and <a href="http://www.ti.com/product/TLIN1029-Q1" target="_blank">TLIN1029-Q1</a> as the LIN bus transceiver.</p>
<p>Classical CAN or CAN FD bus architectures are an obvious choice when you have to exchange large amounts of data between the smart key module and the Bluetooth Low Energy satellite module. You can easily add CAN communication capability to the satellite nodes using TI&rsquo;s new <a href="http://www.ti.com/product/TCAN4550-Q1">TCAN4550-Q1</a> system-basis chip (SBC), which integrates a CAN FD controller and transceiver. In addition to the integrated controller and transceiver, the SBC is self-supplied; that is, no additional power-supply devices are needed. The SBC provides a voltage source to power additional components in the printed circuit board and has a watchdog timer that can serve as the SoC monitor.</p>
<p>Figure 3 shows a possible implementation of the satellite node using the TCAN4550-Q1 that takes advantage of the features in this device.</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><b><a href="http://www.ti.com/solution/car_access_system?variantid=25033&amp;subsystemid=32141"><img src="http://www.ti.com/content/dam/tinews/images/blogs/category/automotive/wwe/block-diagram/satellite-node-block-diagram.png" width="600" alt=" " /><br /></a></b><b>Figure 3: The TCAN4550-Q1 makes it easy to add CAN communication to the satellite node</b></p>
<p>In Figure 3, the 5-V output from the TCAN4550-Q1 is used as the input to the TLV733P-Q1 low VIN linear regulator. This regulator generates the 3.3 V needed for the CC2640R2F-Q1 Bluetooth Low Energy SoC and eliminates the need for a wide VIN regulator to power the Bluetooth Low Energy SoC. Note that the 3.3-V regulator output is also used as VIO for the TCAN4550-Q1, thus eliminating the need for a voltage-level shifter between the Bluetooth Low Energy SoC and TCAN4550-Q1. The watchdog timer in the TCAN4550-Q1 can also monitor the Bluetooth Low Energy SoC software execution. This highly integrated SBC thus enables a cost-optimized solution for a Bluetooth Low Energy satellite node.</p>
<p><b>Conclusions</b></p>
<p>Design engineers are now implementing next-generation PEPS systems in cars using Bluetooth Low Energy technology. As designers address the challenge of optimal number of nodes required to meet PEPS requirements, the communication bus architecture plays an important role in the solution. Designers have the choice of choosing either LIN or CAN for communication. TI&rsquo;s LIN transceivers and the newly introduced TCAN4550-Q1 SBC, along with Bluetooth Low Energy SoC and power management devices, provide not only the full portfolio of devices to choose from, but also the flexibility to develop the most optimal solution for car platforms.</p>
<p><b>Additional resources</b></p>
<ul>
<li>Learn more about the TCAN4550-Q1 and its integrated features in the video, <a href="https://training.ti.com/upgrading-can-fd-tcan4550-q1-sbc-overview?HQS=asc-int-trx-TCAN4550Q1-pr-v-TCANoverview-wwe" target="_blank">&ldquo;How to easily upgrade to CAN FD using the TCAN4550-Q1.&rdquo;</a></li>
<li>Check out TI&rsquo;s <a href="http://www.ti.com/applications/automotive/body-lighting/overview.html" target="_blank">body electronics and lighting portal</a> for related automotive reference designs.</li>
</ul>
<p style="padding:0;margin:0;"></p><div style="clear:both;"></div><img src="http://e2e.ti.com/aggbug?PostID=670698&AppID=894&AppType=Weblog&ContentType=0" width="1" height="1">Arun T. Vemurihttp://e2e.ti.com/members/1166976Paving the way with ultrasonic sensinghttp://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/behind_the_wheel/archive/2019/06/10/paving-the-way-with-ultrasonic-sensing2019-06-10T20:43:00Z2019-06-10T20:43:00Z<p>Imagine a commute to work where, with the press of a button, your electric car automatically drives up to you, opens its door to let you in, navigates on its own through traffic to find the quickest route, pulls up to a garage with automatic gates, parks itself in an available spot, drops you off and charges itself on its own while parked. With the advancement of electric self-driving cars, this future is already starting to become a reality.</p>
<p>Sensors are at the heart of automation &ndash; embedded not only within vehicles to make smart driving decisions, but also in the surrounding environment to create a network of intelligence. With an interconnected system of sensors and data mapping the world as we see it, the road to innovation is truly limitless.</p>
<p><b>Video: how ultrasonic technology performs five unique tasks to improve the driving experience</b></p>
<p style="text-align:left;">(Please visit the site to view this video)</p>
<p style="text-align:left;">Ultrasonic sensors use sound waves to detect the presence or proximity of an object. This is done by transmitting a sound wave in the ultrasonic frequency band and listening for the return echo, which would be the result of the sound wave bouncing off an object in range. Time of flight describes the round-trip time it takes for a transmitted sound wave to come back to the receiver after bouncing off an object. Equation 1 is a simple formula that calculates the distance of an object from the ultrasonic sensor:</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-08-94/ultrasonic_5F00_sensing_5F00_blog_5F00_formula.PNG"><img src="/resized-image/__size/600x0/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-08-94/ultrasonic_5F00_sensing_5F00_blog_5F00_formula.PNG" style="display:block;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;" alt=" " /></a><strong>Equation 1</strong></p>
<p>Although many technologies can detect presence, proximity and position, ultrasonic is a popular choice because of its low system cost, performance in dirty environments, and ability to detect glass surfaces and perform in all lighting conditions.</p>
<p>Let&rsquo;s explore how ultrasonic technology performs five tasks in and around the vehicle to improve the driving experience.<b></b></p>
<p><a href="http://www.ti.com/content/dam/tinews/images/blogs/category/analog-signal-chain/wwe/illustration/sensing-garage-gate.jpg"><img src="http://www.ti.com/content/dam/tinews/images/blogs/category/analog-signal-chain/wwe/illustration/sensing-garage-gate.jpg" width="400" alt=" " /></a></p>
<p><b>1. Garage gate sensing.</b></p>
<p>Gate sensors are implemented in garages, parking lots and other facilities for ticketing and security purposes. Ultrasonic sensors are beneficial here for their ability to operate indoors, outdoors and in any lighting condition. Ultrasonic technology makes it easy to detect larger objects like cars and motorcycles and dismiss smaller objects like animals and debris, therefore reducing the rate of false positives presented by other presence-sensing technologies.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.ti.com/content/dam/tinews/images/blogs/category/analog-signal-chain/wwe/illustration/sensing-parking-spot.jpg"><img src="http://www.ti.com/content/dam/tinews/images/blogs/category/analog-signal-chain/wwe/illustration/sensing-parking-spot.jpg" width="400" alt=" " /></a></p>
<p><b>2. Parking spot sensing.</b></p>
<p>Larger garages are adopting parking spot sensors to indicate whether a parking spot is empty or occupied. These sensors send information to a central server, which aggregates the number of empty and occupied spots in a certain area or floor of a garage and displays this information in external displays to help guide drivers to open parking spots. Sensors can be mounted on the floor or ceiling, but are typically mounted on the ceiling for easy installation in existing facilities. To conserve power, sensors can be duty-cycled and sampled once every few minutes to maintain a pretty accurate count.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.ti.com/content/dam/tinews/images/blogs/category/analog-signal-chain/wwe/illustration/sensing-park-assist.jpg"><img src="http://www.ti.com/content/dam/tinews/images/blogs/category/analog-signal-chain/wwe/illustration/sensing-park-assist.jpg" width="400" alt=" " /></a></p>
<p><b>3. Park assist.</b></p>
<p>In the past, ultrasonic park assist sensors were employed only in higher-end vehicles, helping drivers understand their surroundings by detecting obstructions. With the cost of ultrasonic sensors decreasing and their functional capabilities increasing, they are becoming more prevalent in lower- and mid-end vehicles as well. As the push towards autonomy progresses, employing ultrasonic park assist sensors in conjunction with other sensors will aid in the automated parking of vehicles. Industry standards require that ultrasonic park assist sensors sense at a range of up to 5 m and detect objects as narrow as a 75-mm wide.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.ti.com/content/dam/tinews/images/blogs/category/analog-signal-chain/wwe/illustration/sensing-wireless-charging.jpg"><img src="http://www.ti.com/content/dam/tinews/images/blogs/category/analog-signal-chain/wwe/illustration/sensing-wireless-charging.jpg" width="400" alt=" " /></a></p>
<p><b>4. Wireless charging pads/electric vehicle charging stations. </b></p>
<p>As electric vehicles become more common, so are charging stations. They typically come in one of two topologies: a wireless charging pad or a station that&rsquo;s similar to a traditional gas station. Wireless charging pads are typically mounted on the floor of a parking spot, waiting for a car to drive up over it. Ultrasonic sensors ensure that the charging pad is fully covered under the vehicle to ensure best-case efficiency when charging. An embedded sensor can also ensure that there are no unintentional objects in proximity (such as a pet) before charging initiates. Wireless charging stations often have sensors on them as a measure to conserve electricity by keeping the station in sleep mode until it detects a car in proximity.<b></b></p>
<p><a href="http://www.ti.com/content/dam/tinews/images/blogs/category/analog-signal-chain/wwe/illustration/sensing-tailgate.jpg"><img src="http://www.ti.com/content/dam/tinews/images/blogs/category/analog-signal-chain/wwe/illustration/sensing-tailgate.jpg" width="400" alt=" " /></a></p>
<p><b>5. Kick-to-open trunks.</b></p>
<p>Kick-to-open trunks or smart trunk openers are becoming more prominent in vehicles. They enable hands-free opening of the trunk by hovering a foot below the bumper. Other body sensors located around doors and trunks can make sure that there is enough space to open and close them without hitting a wall, pole, another vehicle or a human. Capacitive sensing is used in these applications, but due to sensor failures in icy or snowy conditions, ultrasonic sensing is preferable, as such environments don&rsquo;t affect its performance.</p>
<p><b>Get started with TI&rsquo;s ultrasonic technology</b></p>
<p>Figure 1 below is a screenshot from the <a href="http://www.ti.com/tool/BOOSTXL-PGA460">PGA460-Q1 ultrasonic sensor signal conditioning evaluation module</a> with transducers, which helps you evaluate the performance of TI&rsquo;s ultrasonic sensing IC in detecting obstructions and calculating Time-of-Flight. The figure shows the echo output (the yellow line) and time-varying gain and threshold registers (the white and blue lines). The built-in threshold registers make it easy for many of these applications to decide when to perform a function. For example, in the parking spot sensing example, it&rsquo;s possible to set the threshold to ignore objects like a small animal but still detect desired objects like vehicles, which produce a stronger signal.</p>
<p><a href="/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-08-94/PGA460-ultrasonic-GUI.jpg"><img src="/resized-image/__size/600x0/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-08-94/PGA460-ultrasonic-GUI.jpg" style="display:block;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;" alt=" " /></a></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><b>Figure 1: PGA460 ultrasonic GUI</b></p>
<p>Ultrasonic sensing is a beneficial technology for proximity and obstruction detection. It allows for intelligent decision making in vehicles, enabling them to sense the world around them to automate processes, improve efficiency and enhance safety.</p>
<p>Additional resources:</p>
<ul>
<li>EVM: <a href="http://www.ti.com/tool/boostxl-pga460">PGA460EVM</a></li>
<li>Application note: <a href="http://www.ti.com/lit/an/snva784a/snva784a.pdf">PGA460-Q1 in Ultrasonic Park Assist (UPA)</a></li>
<li>Reference design: <a href="http://www.ti.com/tool/tida-01424?jktype=design">Ultrasonic Kick-to-Open Reference Design</a></li>
</ul>
<p><b>&nbsp;</b></p><div style="clear:both;"></div><img src="http://e2e.ti.com/aggbug?PostID=670700&AppID=894&AppType=Weblog&ContentType=0" width="1" height="1">Mubina Toahttp://e2e.ti.com/members/5018897Designing infotainment systems that are interactive not distractivehttp://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/behind_the_wheel/archive/2019/06/06/designing-infotainment-systems-that-are-interactive-not-distractive2019-06-06T18:46:00Z2019-06-06T18:46:00Z<p>A key selling point in new vehicles today is the technology. Where consumers have historically given preference to a car&rsquo;s road performance, today, it is the performance of the electronics that has many consumers paying a premium, and this trend shows no sign of slowing down.</p>
<p>At the hub of a car&rsquo;s technology is the infotainment system, conveniently located in the vehicle&rsquo;s head unit in the center console, near the instrument cluster behind the steering wheel, and comfortably within arm&rsquo;s reach of front-seat passengers.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.ti.com/applications/automotive/infotainment-cluster/overview.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.ti.com/content/dam/ticom/images/products/ic/processors/diagram/automotive-processors-infotainment-applications-dm8600.png" width="635" height="357" style="display:block;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;" alt=" " /></a>The challenge is providing the next-generation functionality drivers expect with safer driver interaction.&nbsp;</p>
<p><img src="http://www.ti.com/content/dam/ticom/images/literature/whitepaper/designing-infotainment-systems-that-are-interactive-not-distractive-szzy012.png" width="227" style="display:block;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;" height="303" alt=" " />In the white paper,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ti.com/lit/wp/szzy012/szzy012.pdf">Designing infotainment systems that are interactive, not distractive</a>, I discuss ways&nbsp;design automotive systems that enhance the driver&rsquo;s ability to drive safely while enjoying the ride.</p><div style="clear:both;"></div><img src="http://e2e.ti.com/aggbug?PostID=670693&AppID=894&AppType=Weblog&ContentType=0" width="1" height="1">mclaassenhttp://e2e.ti.com/members/1698636Eight questions about monitoring and protection in hybrid and electric vehicleshttp://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/behind_the_wheel/archive/2019/05/22/improved-monitoring-and-protection-for-hybrid-and-electric-vehicles2019-05-22T15:28:00Z2019-05-22T15:28:00Z<p>Collectively, we&rsquo;re engaged in a worldwide effort to reimagine automotive and reduce emissions, whether it&rsquo;s helping carmakers offload combustion engines or transition to fully electric fleets. Electrification has proven to be the most adaptable tool for reducing emissions, but as voltage increases within vehicles, as shown in <b>Figure 1</b>, so does the significance of monitoring and protection subsystems.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.ti.com/content/dam/tinews/images/blogs/category/automotive/wwe/lead-in-graphic/road2zero-emissions-infographic.jpg"><img src="http://www.ti.com/content/dam/tinews/images/blogs/category/automotive/wwe/lead-in-graphic/road2zero-emissions-infographic.jpg" width="855" height="481" style="display:block;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;" alt=" " /></a></p>
<p align="center"><b>Figure 1: The range of hybrid to electric vehicles</b>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Through recent advancements in monitoring and protection subsystems, we can speed time to market while maximizing drive time and keeping passengers safe in hybrid electric vehicles/electric vehicles (HEVs/EVs). Here are eight common questions about monitoring and protection in <a href="http://www.ti.com/solution/battery_management_high_cell_count_for_hev">battery management systems</a> and <a href="http://www.ti.com/solution/hevev_inverter_motor_control">traction inverter systems</a>.&nbsp;</p>
<p><b>1. How can you increase energy density and system efficiency to help HEVs/EVs drive farther and longer?</b></p>
<p>Doubling the power output for the same size&nbsp;results in significant cost savings and also helps with fast charging. This is accomplished by operating the power converters (PFC stage and DCDC in an OBC or fast DC charger) at high switching frequencies, which reduces the size of the magnetics, thereby helping achieve high power density. Higher system efficiency means lower losses and a smaller heat-sink solution for a given application. It also reduces the thermal stress on devices and contributes to a longer life expectancy.&nbsp;</p>
<p><b>2. How can HEVs/EVs give drivers the same user experience as cars powered by an internal combustion engine?</b></p>
<p>The driving experience will be improved by increasing the available mileage per charge while at the same time reducing the charging time. Achieving these goals requires a state-of-the-art battery management system and high-efficiency power electronics on both the car and the grid infrastructure (charging pile) side.&nbsp;</p>
<p style="padding:0;margin:0;"><strong><img src="/resized-image/__size/1600x0/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-06-73/cat_2D00_bar2.png" style="height:auto;" alt=" " /> </strong><br /><strong><span style="font-size:150%;">Quickly find reference designs and products for your battery management system</span></strong></p>
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<td style="width:100px;border-color:#ffffff;background-color:#ffffff;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;" valign="top" align="left"><a href="http://www.ti.com/solution/battery_management_high_cell_count_for_hev?variantid=14008&amp;subsystemid=17303"> <img src="http://www.ti.com/content/dam/ticom/images/icons/illustrative-icons/power/high-voltage-icon.png" style="height:auto;" alt=" " width="60" height="60" /></a></td>
<td style="border-color:#ffffff;background-color:#ffffff;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;" valign="middle" align="left"><img src="/resized-image/__size/2x0/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-03-25/wbg1.png" height="1" alt=" " /><br /><span style="font-size:150%;"><a href="http://www.ti.com/solution/battery_management_high_cell_count_for_hev?variantid=14008&amp;subsystemid=17303" target="_blank">Learn more</a></span>
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<p style="padding:0;margin:0;"><img src="/resized-image/__size/1600x0/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-06-73/cat_2D00_bar2.png" style="height:auto;" alt=" " /></p>
<p><b>3. How can you improve the reliability of HEV/EV battery management systems?</b></p>
<p>The<b> </b><a href="http://www.ti.com/product/BQ79606A-Q1">BQ79606A-Q1</a> is designed to boost reliability with these features:</p>
<ul>
<li>A voltage monitor, temperature monitor and communication functions up to Automotive Safety Integrity Level (ASIL)-D.</li>
<li>An optional daisy-chain ring architecture to ensure stack communication even in the event of a broken communication cable (limp-home mode).</li>
<li>A design that enables robust hot-plug performance without the need for external Zener diodes.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
<p><b>4. How can automotive designers solve the poor discharge performance of lithium-ion battery packs used in cold temperature environments?</b></p>
<p>Battery packs of hybrid and electric cars work within a controlled temperature range to optimize charge/discharge performance at low temperatures and to make sure that the battery stays within the safe operating area at higher temperatures. Accurate voltage and temperature sensing on the cell/pack level (as featured on the BQ79606A-Q1) is necessary in order to apply appropriate thermal management strategies. These might entail preheating at cold start conditions and of course cooling at higher temperatures.<b>&nbsp;</b></p>
<p><b>5. What&rsquo;s one way to monitor BMS systems? </b><br /> In a daisy-chain configuration, the <a href="http://www.ti.com/tool/TIDA-01537">Scalable Automotive HEV/EV 6s to 96s Lithium Ion Cell Supervision Demonstrator Reference Design</a> implements the BQ79606A-Q1 to create a highly accurate and reliable system design for three- to 300-series, 12-V up to 1.2-kV lithium-ion battery packs. The design is scalable across six to 96-series cell supervision circuits and communicates the battery&rsquo;s voltages and temperatures to help meet ASIL-D requirements.&nbsp;</p>
<p style="padding:0;margin:0;"><strong><img src="/resized-image/__size/1600x0/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-06-73/cat_2D00_bar2.png" style="height:auto;" alt=" " /> </strong><br /><strong><span style="font-size:150%;">Designing a traction inverter is simpler with our resources</span></strong></p>
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<td style="width:100px;border-color:#ffffff;background-color:#ffffff;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;" valign="top" align="left"><a href="http://www.ti.com/lit/wp/spry330/spry330.pdf"> <img src="http://www.ti.com/content/dam/ticom/images/icons/illustrative-icons/automotive/electric-car-icon.png" style="height:auto;" alt=" " width="60" height="60" /></a></td>
<td style="border-color:#ffffff;background-color:#ffffff;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;" valign="middle" align="left"><img src="/resized-image/__size/2x0/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-03-25/wbg1.png" height="1" alt=" " /><br /><span style="font-size:150%;"><a href="http://www.ti.com/solution/hevev_inverter_motor_control?variantid=14291&amp;subsystemid=17046" target="_blank">Get started</a></span>
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<p style="padding:0;margin:0;"><img src="/resized-image/__size/1600x0/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-06-73/cat_2D00_bar2.png" style="height:auto;" alt=" " /></p>
<p><b>6. What are the advantages of using </b><b>silicon carbide (SiC) or gallium nitride (GaN) in-vehicle devices in traction inverters?</b></p>
<p>New developments in SiC power circuits can help designers develop more efficient, lighter and more intelligent EV powertrain systems, such as traction inverters, on-board chargers and fast DC-charging stations. Devices such as the new <a href="http://www.ti.com/product/UCC21710-Q1">UCC21710-Q1</a> and <a href="http://www.ti.com/product/UCC21732-Q1">UCC21732-Q1</a> are the first isolated gate drivers to integrate sensing features for insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBT) and SiC field-effect transistors, enabling greater system reliability and providing fast detection times to protect against overcurrent events while ensuring safe system shutdown.<b>&nbsp;</b></p>
<p><b>7. Is it possible to prevent overheating in a traction inverter?</b></p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.ti.com/product/TMP235-Q1">TMP235-Q1</a> helps traction inverter systems react to temperature surges and apply appropriate thermal management techniques with low power, small footprint and high accuracy. Learn more about temperature monitoring when designing a traction inverter in the e-book, &ldquo;<a href="http://www.ti.com/lit/ml/slyy161/slyy161.pdf">Temperature monitoring and protection</a>.&rdquo;<b>&nbsp;</b></p>
<p><b>8. Why do you need temperature sensors for traction inverter system reliability in HEV/EV vehicles?</b></p>
<p>Thermal management is a crucial parameter to guarantee EV performance as well as passenger safety. It ranks high among the priorities of automotive original equipment manufacturers in order to reassure consumers how safe these novel modes of transportation are in comparison with their internal combustion counterparts.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The better the accuracy, the better chances the system will react to temperature surges quickly by applying appropriate thermal management techniques.<b>&nbsp;</b></p>
<p><b>Designing faster, smarter</b></p>
<p>According to the International Energy Agency, the number of electric vehicles on the road is estimated to triple by 2021; so will the need for state-of-the-art monitoring and protection. So let&rsquo;s get back to work. We&rsquo;ve got a lot of cars to design and big expectations to fulfill.<b>&nbsp;</b></p>
<p><b>Additional resources</b></p>
<ul>
<li>The <a href="http://www.ti.com/tool/TIDA-020014">HEV/EV Traction Inverter Power Stage with 3 Types of IGBT/SiC Bias-Supply Solutions Reference Design</a> demonstrates three types of IGBT/SiC solutions.</li>
</ul><div style="clear:both;"></div><img src="http://e2e.ti.com/aggbug?PostID=670660&AppID=894&AppType=Weblog&ContentType=0" width="1" height="1">KHShttp://e2e.ti.com/members/104924How voltage references and supervisors help achieve ASIL functional safety goalshttp://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/behind_the_wheel/archive/2019/05/10/how-supervisors-and-vrefs-enable-automotive-functional-safety2019-05-10T20:01:27Z2019-05-10T20:01:27Z<p>Many safety related automotive systems are required to meet Automotive Safety Integrity Level (ASIL) as defined by International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 26262.</p>
<p>It is a common misconception that integrated circuits (ICs) not developed following the ISO 26262 standards cannot be used to achieve functional safety goals. Many automotive OEMs have been able to use the features and reliability of non-ASIL compliant semiconductor devices to develop systems that target ASIL requirements. In this post, it will be demonstrated how both voltage references and supervisors can help you achieve ASIL compliance for your automotive systems.</p>
<p><b>Voltage references and supervisors</b></p>
<p>Devices such as voltage references and supervisors (reset ICs) are common semiconductor devices that can help automotive system integrators develop functionally safe systems. When used in automotive applications, these devices provide diagnostic coverage or redundant monitoring capability.</p>
<p>Figure 1 is taken from ISO26262-10:2018, 9.2.3.4 and is an example of how safety elements out of context (SEooC) can implement voltage supervisors and watchdogs as safety mechanisms.</p>
<p align="center"><a href="/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-08-94/4137.TIDA_2D00_050008blog_2D00_Fig1.png"><img src="/resized-image/__size/800x0/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-08-94/4137.TIDA_2D00_050008blog_2D00_Fig1.png" alt=" " /></a></p>
<p align="center"><b>Figure 1: System-level design assumptions for SEooC based on ISO 26262</b></p>
<p><b>&nbsp;</b></p>
<p><b>Features and mechanisms of voltage reference and supervisors </b></p>
<p>A voltage supervisor can help achieve system-level functional safety targets by providing power supply fault detection. A voltage supervisor implements a safety mechanism to the microcontroller (MCU) when an overvoltage or undervoltage failure mode is detected on the power supply. Some voltage supervisors can also provide digital diagnostics with watchdog timers that can detect clocking failures of an MCU. Clocking failures include late pulses or early pulses sent from the MCU. The window watchdog timer can monitor these pulses and alert the system that a fault has occurred. Another method of under and overvoltage monitoring is to use an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) with a precision voltage reference to monitor multiple voltage rails. Figure 2 shows how a window watchdog timer operates. In some cases, systems with very high diagnostic coverage goals may require redundant safety mechanisms in order to achieve system-level functional safety goals. This means that in addition to an ADC and voltage reference to monitor potential voltage supply failures, a supervisor is also required to monitor the same voltage rails to ensure safety and diagnostic coverage.</p>
<p align="center"><a href="/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-08-94/7752.TIDA_2D00_050008blog_2D00_Fig2.png"><img src="/resized-image/__size/1230x0/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-08-94/7752.TIDA_2D00_050008blog_2D00_Fig2.png" alt=" " /></a></p>
<p align="center"><b>Figure 2: Window watchdog timing diagram</b></p>
<p><b>Device functional safety collateral</b></p>
<p>Risk assessments of automotive systems show that faults can occur due to IC failures; therefore evaluations at the device level are required in some functionally safe systems. TI can provide device information needed for evaluating the IC versus the requirements of the functional safety system concept. TI can provide device collateral such as qualification reports, failure in time (FS-FIT), failure mode distributions (FMD), and design failure mode and effect analysis (DFMEA) for voltage references and supervisors.</p>
<p><b>Automotive reference designs with functional safety considerations</b></p>
<p>The &ldquo;<a href="http://www.ti.com/tool/TIDA-050008">ADAS power reference design with improved voltage supervision</a>&rdquo; shows how voltage references and supervisors can help in implementing functionally safe systems. The voltage reference and supervisors used in this reference design can help enable the designers achieve the system-level functional safety goals when combing the devices&rsquo; functionality, features and device collateral.</p>
<p>The reference design provides an automotive power solution with additional voltage supervision and a window watchdog for safety MCUs in advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). The design helps achieve accurate voltage monitoring with precision supervision of 1% maximum across temperature and includes features such as flexible reset delay and manual reset. The TPS3703-Q1 provides overvoltage and undervoltage monitoring in a small footprint, with minimal needs for external components to help solve space constrained problems.</p>
<p>Figure 3 describes how the TPS3703-Q1 detects overvoltage and undervoltage. For potential clocking failures, the TPS3850-Q1 doubles as an overvoltage/under-voltage monitor and window watchdog timer which is illustrated in Figure 2 and Figure 3. It also has the flexibility of changing the watchdog timeout and window ratio and disabling the watchdog timer. In cases where only undervoltage monitoring is necessary, the TPS3890-Q1 can provide accurate voltage monitoring at a very low quiescent current to save system power consumption. Last but not least, the LM4132-Q1 provides precision voltage to reference the ADC for voltage monitoring. With 0.05% initial accuracy and low temperature drifts of 10 ppm/&deg;C, the LM4132-Q1 solves accurate voltage monitoring at a low supply current cost of 60 &micro;A.</p>
<p align="center"><a href="/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-08-94/0827.TIDA_2D00_050008blog_2D00_Fig3.png"><img src="/resized-image/__size/600x0/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-08-94/0827.TIDA_2D00_050008blog_2D00_Fig3.png" alt=" " /></a></p>
<p align="center"><b>Figure 3: Under-voltage and over-voltage window detector timing diagram</b></p>
<p><b>Accommodating the ISO 26262 standard in the ADAS power reference design</b></p>
<p>The reference design takes ISO 26262 and its guidance on power-supply voltage monitoring and watchdog diagnostics into consideration. Figures 4 explain the need for detecting failures in the power supply and failures in a defective program sequence. Figure 4 is taken from ISO26262-5:2018, Annex D. This annex is intended to evaluate diagnostic coverage and is used as a guideline to choose appropriate safety mechanisms to detect possible system failures. The reference design can help in implementing system-level safety mechanisms shown in Figure 4.</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-08-94/2084.Figure-4.1.jpg"><img src="/resized-image/__size/450x0/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-08-94/2084.Figure-4.1.jpg" alt=" " /></a><a href="/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-08-94/8322.Figure-4.2.jpg"><img src="/resized-image/__size/450x0/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-08-94/8322.Figure-4.2.jpg" alt=" " /></a></p>
<p align="center"><b>Figure 4: Safety mechanism examples for power-supply and watchdog failures based on ISO 26262</b></p>
<p>The voltage supervisors and references used in this reference design can provide an additional layer of safety by providing extra diagnostic coverage, safety mechanisms or redundant safety monitoring. The product&rsquo;s performance and functionality of detecting faults can help achieve functional safety goals in automotive systems. Additionally, TI can provide collateral to improve time-to-market for system integrators.</p>
<p><b>Additional resources</b></p>
<ul>
<li>For more information on why watchdog timers are important, read the blog post, &ldquo;<a href="http://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/powerhouse/archive/2017/01/10/what-is-a-watchdog-timer-and-why-is-it-important?tisearch=e2e-sitesearch&amp;keymatch=supervisors">What is a watchdog timer and why is it important?</a>&rdquo;</li>
</ul><div style="clear:both;"></div><img src="http://e2e.ti.com/aggbug?PostID=670635&AppID=894&AppType=Weblog&ContentType=0" width="1" height="1">Ethan Thttp://e2e.ti.com/members/4798052How to meet European Commission ADAS requirements with TI DC/DC convertershttp://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/behind_the_wheel/archive/2019/05/08/how-to-meet-european-commission-adas-requirements-with-ti-dc-dc-converters2019-05-09T03:49:00Z2019-05-09T03:49:00Z<p>From trade shows to TV commercials, by now we&rsquo;ve all been exposed to the cutting-edge advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) that are available in automobiles. While many automakers only offer these features in their luxury models today, mandates driven by the European Commission&rsquo;s <a href="http://europa.eu/rapid/attachment/IP-18-3708/en/Factsheet%20Safe%20Mobility%20%20A%20Europe%20that%20protects.pdf">Safe Mobility initiative</a> will bring them to the masses &ndash; in all new cars produced from 2021 onward (see Figure 1).</p>
<p align="center"><a href="http://www.ti.com/content/dam/tinews/images/blogs/category/power-management/wwe/illustration/europe-on-the-move-car-safety.png"><img src="http://www.ti.com/content/dam/tinews/images/blogs/category/power-management/wwe/illustration/europe-on-the-move-car-safety.png" width="450" alt=" " /></a></p>
<p align="center"><b>Figure 1: Features mandated by European Commission regulations*</b></p>
<p>The systems that enable these features have unique power requirements, and TI&rsquo;s DC/DC converter portfolio has a wide variety of solutions with which to meet them. Today, we&rsquo;ll focus on three of those systems.</p>
<p><b>What does the European Commission require?</b> Advanced emergency braking and intelligent speed assistance.</p>
<p><b> What system enables these requirements? </b><a href="http://www.ti.com/solution/short_medium_range_radar">Medium range radar</a>.</p>
<p>Advanced emergency braking and intelligent speed assistance, also known as adaptive cruise control, make highway driving easier and safer. By using highly precise radar transceivers such as TI&rsquo;s <a href="http://www.ti.com/product/AWR1843/description">AWR1843</a>, vehicles can sense other vehicles and passing obstacles and slow down accordingly. These sensors have strict ripple requirements that make selecting a low-noise power solution critical. The <a href="http://www.ti.com/product/LM53625-Q1">LM53625-Q1</a> is a strong choice for off-battery regulation &ndash; its novel symmetrical flip-chip package minimizes both ringing and emissions. For secondary regulation, there are several options to choose from based on the amount and type of output filtering required. Among these, the <a href="http://www.ti.com/product/LP87702-Q1/description">LP87702-Q1</a> has a good balance between cost and performance by requiring only one external linear regulator to meet ripple requirements.</p>
<p><b>What does the European Commission require?</b> Improved direct vision for trucks for the detection of pedestrians and cyclists.</p>
<p><b>What system enables these requirements?</b> <a href="http://www.ti.com/solution/automotive_vision_control">Front camera systems</a>.</p>
<p>Front camera systems use one or more cameras mounted on the windshield to capture video data of the road ahead and identify potential hazards such as pedestrians and cyclists. The European Commission is currently only mandating these systems for larger vehicles like trucks and buses, which are notable for their 24-V nominal battery voltage. Front camera systems are one of the more power-hungry driver assistance systems due to the sheer density of data they have to process. The <a href="http://www.ti.com/product/LM76003-Q1/description">LM76003-Q1</a> is a strong converter option because its wide 60-V input range can withstand load-dump conditions, and it can supply up to 3.5 A in a small quad flat no-lead (QFN) package.</p>
<p>While the European Commission is not currently mandating direct vision functionality for cars, the <a href="http://www.ti.com/product/LM73606-Q1/description">LM73606-Q1</a> can enable a scalable solution from 12-V systems to 24-V systems, since it&rsquo;s in the same package as the LM76003-Q1. For even greater power requirements, TI makes a scalable external FET controller, the <a href="http://www.ti.com/product/LM5146-Q1">LM5146-Q1</a>. Managing thermal dissipation at the point of load is equally important; for this reason, it&rsquo;s common to use a two-chip solution with a high-current buck like the <a href="http://www.ti.com/product/TPS54618-Q1/description">TPS54618-Q1</a> for the core rail and a flexible power-management integrated circuit (PMIC) like the <a href="http://www.ti.com/product/LP87564-Q1/description">LP87564-Q1</a> for everything else.</p>
<p><b>What does the European Commission require?</b> Drowsiness and distraction monitoring.</p>
<p><b>What system enables these requirements?</b> <a href="http://www.ti.com/solution/driver_monitoring_system">Driver monitoring system</a>s.</p>
<p>Driver monitoring systems use cameras inside vehicles to track drivers&rsquo; eyes for indications that they may be drowsy or distracted. Based on input from the image processor, the system notifies drivers to help avoid potential collisions. In these systems, a highly integrated and efficient power solution is valuable given the limited board space and cooling available. The <a href="http://www.ti.com/product/LMS3655-Q1">LMS3655-Q1</a> is a great fit for up to 5.5 A off-battery even with these constraints, since its 400-kHz switching frequency and HotRod&trade; package help minimize thermal dissipation. With a <a href="http://www.ti.com/product/LP87332A-Q1/description">LP87332A-Q1</a> and <a href="http://www.ti.com/product/LP87322F-Q1">LP87322F-Q1</a> PMIC solution, TI&rsquo;s <a href="http://www.ti.com/processors/automotive-processors/tdax-adas-socs/applications/driver-monitoring-system.html">TDAx ADAS SoCs</a> can help rapidly process images of a driver&rsquo;s face and communicate with the vehicle&rsquo;s driver notification system.</p>
<p>Medium range radar, front camera, and driver monitoring systems will become much more common in new vehicles to satisfy the EU Commission&rsquo;s Safe Mobility mandates. While each of these systems has a unique power architecture and a unique set of development challenges, TI&rsquo;s broad portfolio of controllers, converters, and PMICs has optimized solutions for each of them.</p>
<p><b>Additional resources</b></p>
<ul>
<li>Read the European Commission press release, &ldquo;<a href="http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-18-3708_en.htm">Europe on the Move: Commission completes its agenda for safe, clean and connected mobility</a>.&rdquo;</li>
<li>Learn more about &ldquo;<a href="http://www.ti.com/lit/an/snva840/snva840.pdf">Choosing the right DC/DC solution for automotive front camera systems</a>.&rdquo;</li>
<li>Read the blog post, &ldquo;<a href="/blogs_/b/behind_the_wheel/archive/2018/10/04/how-driver-monitoring-systems-can-help-with-collision-avoidance">How driver monitoring systems can help with collision avoidance, part 1</a>.&rdquo;</li>
</ul>
<p>*Graphic courtesy of EU Commission</p><div style="clear:both;"></div><img src="http://e2e.ti.com/aggbug?PostID=670659&AppID=894&AppType=Weblog&ContentType=0" width="1" height="1">Kelvin Odomhttp://e2e.ti.com/members/4461424